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The Milwaukee Bucks' Thon Maker had a career game Friday against Detroit.
With two-thirds of the roster born in 1990 or later, the Milwaukee Bucks are a young, growing team. Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a closer look at the players that are 25 years old and younger (for the most part, those still in their first four NBA seasons), measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the 20th edition of the 2016-17 Young Bucks Tracker.
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO (Age 22, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 35.5 minutes, 23.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.9 blocks, 52.3 FG%, 27.8 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 36.2 minutes, 23.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 2.3 blocks, 45.5 FG%, 0.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 26.4 PER, 60.2 percent TS%, 28.3 percent USG%, 117 ORtg, 104 DRtg, 6.7 VORP
Notable: Antetokounmpo grabbed double-digit rebounds in all three games last week (and thus had three double-doubles), even managing 10 boards in a blowout loss to Russell Westbrook and the Thunder on Tuesday. He found a knack for getting to the free-throw line and sunk 30 of 41 attempts.
MALCOLM BROGDON (Age 24, first season)
Statistical season averages: 26.5 minutes, 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks, 45.7 FG%, 40.4 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 0.0 minutes, 0.0 points, 0.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 14.9 PER, 55.7 percent TS%, 18.5 percent USG%, 112 ORtg, 111 DRtg, 0.7 VORP
Notable: Brogdon was the hero on March 29 when he single-handedly willed the Bucks to a road win in Boston, but he hasn't played since. The Rookie of the Year candidate has been sidelined with back tightness . . . maybe from carrying the team in Boston? Bucks fans look forward to his return as the postseason nears.
THON MAKER (Age 20, first season)
Statistical season averages: 9.3 minutes, 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.4 blocks, 46.1 FG%, 39.4 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 23.0 minutes, 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 59.3 FG%, 50.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 14.2 PER, 56.3 percent TS%, 18.4 percent USG%, 114 ORtg, 110 DRtg, 0.0 VORP
Notable: Maker played over 19 minutes in all three games, and his 24:47 minutes played against Detroit on Friday is a career best. He had a career-high 23 points in that game -- also posting new bests in field goals (9), field-goal attempts (12) and 3-pointers (3), although it wasn't necessarily always his choice to shoot the rock -- Antetokounmpo might have had something to do with it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SfLppPZU9g
KHRIS MIDDLETON (Age 25, fifth season)
Statistical season averages: 30.3 minutes, 15.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 45.5 FG%, 41.7 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 34.5 minutes, 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 42.9 FG%, 33.3 3PT%
Advanced stats: 15.8 PER, 57.5 percent TS%, 23.0 percent USG%, 107 ORtg, 109 DRtg, 0.3 VORP
Notable: Middleton had 25 points and 10 rebounds against Detroit on March 31, his first double-double since March 12, 2016. He now has three career double-doubles, recording one in each of the last three seasons.
GARY PAYTON II (Age 24, first season)
Statistical season averages: 19.5 minutes, 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 36.4 FG%, 25.0 3PT%
Advanced stats: 5.6 PER, 44.6 percent TS%, 19.1 percent USG%, 75 ORtg, 109 DRtg, -0.1 VORP
Notable: Welcome to the club. Now go play ASAP, including 29:56 at Oklahoma City. Nice indoctrination into the NBA. One Brogdon returns, Payton should just be insurance, but with the Bucks having a D-League franchise next season, the former Oregon State star could be in Milwaukee's future plans.
TONY SNELL (Age 25, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 29.2 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.2 blocks, 45.4 FG%, 39.9 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 30.8 minutes, 5.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 27.8 FG%, 30.8 3PT%
Advanced stats: 9.7 PER, 60.2 percent TS%, 12.0 percent USG%, 114 ORtg, 113 DRtg, 0.6 VORP
Notable: Needless to say it was not a good week for Snell, who has combined for 19 points in four games since tallying 26 at Charlotte on March 28. He did have one bright spot -- 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3 vs. Dallas on Sunday.
RASHAD VAUGHN (Age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 10.7 minutes, 3.3 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 35.8 FG%, 32.0 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 1.45 minutes, 0.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 7.9 PER, 44.7 percent TS%, 16.6 percent USG%, 90 ORtg, 110 DRtg, -0.3 VORP
Notable: Vaughn played in all three games last week and had double-digit minutes twice (16:40 vs. Detroit and 12:00 at Oklahoma City), the first time since March 18 he had played that much.
Out for the season: Jabari Parker
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
PER - Player Efficiency Rating: A measure of per-minute production standardized such that the league average is 15.
TS% - True Shooting Percentage: A measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws.
USG% - Usage Percentage: An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor.
ORtg - Offensive Rating: An estimate of points produced per 100 possessions.
DRtg - Defensive Rating: An estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions.
VORP - Value over Replacement Player: A box score estimate of the points per 100 TEAM possessions that a player contributed above a replacement-level (-2.0) player, translated to an average team and prorated to an 82-game season.
